DoD News

News Article

Marine, Soldier Killed in Iraq; Terror Suspects Captured

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2005  One 56th Brigade Combat Team soldier died and another was wounded as a result of an improvised-explosive-device attack during a combat logistics patrol at about 10:45 a.m. today near Safwan, Iraq, military officials reported.

Elsewhere, a Marine assigned to 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), died from a non-hostile gunshot wound Sept. 26 at a camp near Fallujah.

The names of the soldiers and Marine are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

In other Iraq news, soldiers from the 1st Armored Division's 3rd Brigade on patrol detained nine suspected terrorists in three separate incidents while conducting security and stability operations near Taji Sept. 27.

In the first incident, soldiers of the 70th Engineer Battalion stopped a car during random inspections and searched the vehicle's four occupants. The men had $14,000 of U.S. currency in $100 bills and a large number of fake government identification badges in their possession.

Later in the day, the soldiers were approached by an Iraqi citizen who told them that a suspicious car was parked in his neighborhood. The soldiers searched four men near the car and found bomb-making materials.

While the troops questioned the car owners, they stopped and searched a fifth man who was acting suspiciously. The man's cell-phone history contained a message from another terrorist that roughly translated into "Thanks for the use of the rocket-propelled grenades."

All nine terror suspects were transferred to a coalition detention facility for questioning.

In other developments, a car bomber failed to breach an Iraqi police checkpoint outside the walls of an Iraqi police academy in eastern Baghdad Sept. 26.

At about 7:45 am, the terrorist detonated his vehicle, killing many innocent bystanders and Iraqi police officers. Initial reports indicate 15-20 Iraqi civilians and six Iraqi police officers were killed. Twenty-five Iraqi and three U.S. civilians were wounded.

Iraqi security forces responded to the attack and secured the area so the wounded could be evacuated to local hospitals.

"Six brave Iraqi patriots were killed today defending their country from the terrorists, said Army Col. Joseph DiSalvo, commander of coalition forces in Rusafa. "The will of the Iraqi security forces will not be shaken by heinous acts like this. Tomorrow, six more Iraqi patriots will step forward to take the place of their fallen heroes."

In the air war over Iraq, coalition aircraft flew 34 close-air-support and armed-reconnaissance sorties Sept. 27 for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

U. S. Air Force F-16s provided close air support to coalition troops in the vicinities of Baquba and Kirkuk. Ten U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq Sept. 27. U.S. Air Force and British

Royal Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a non-traditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors.